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Langford Lodge

Military site : airfield

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  • Unidentified 'Droop Snoot' P-38J Lightning in open maintenance facility somewhere in the ETO.

    Unidentified 'Droop Snoot' P-38J Lightning in open maintenance facility somewhere in the ETO.

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  • P-38J Lightning 42-104075 field modified to 'Droop Snoot' * configuration and retained by Operational Engineering. Coded Q3-B. Nose art - Caricature of a crow with telescope dropping bomb, on a white circle. * The 'Droop Snoot' field conversion entailed the removal of the nose armament and associated equipment to make room for a prone bombardiers position with the installation of a plexiglass nose, a Norden bombsight, side windows and an emergency hatch. The theory was for a formation of P-38's to drop their bombs on the formation lead 'Droop snoots' signal with the precision of the Norden bombsight ensuring the accuracy of the formations bombing. An idea championed by Lt Col Cass Hough and Lt Col Dan Ostrander.

    P-38J Lightning 42-104075 field modified to 'Droop Snoot' * configuration and retained by Operational Engineering. Coded Q3-B. Nose art - Caricature of a crow with telescope dropping bomb, on a white circle. * The 'Droop Snoot' field conversion entailed the removal of the nose armament and associated equipment to make room for a prone bombardiers position with the installation of a plexiglass nose, a Norden bombsight, side windows and an emergency hatch. The theory was for a formation of P-38's to drop their bombs on the formation lead 'Droop snoots' signal with the precision of the Norden bombsight ensuring the accuracy of the formations bombing. An idea championed by Lt Col Cass Hough and Lt Col Dan Ostrander.

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  • Unidentified GI poses by the nose of an unidentified 'Droop Snoot' P-38J Lightning of the 474th FG, 9th AF in the ETO.

    Unidentified GI poses by the nose of an unidentified 'Droop Snoot' P-38J Lightning of the 474th FG, 9th AF in the ETO.

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  • Unidentified crew pose in front of an unidentified 'Droop Snoot' P-38J Lightning. In the background lurks another P-38 and a Kubelwagon 'Under New Ownership'. L-R Bombardier, pilot.

    Unidentified crew pose in front of an unidentified 'Droop Snoot' P-38J Lightning. In the background lurks another P-38 and a Kubelwagon 'Under New Ownership'. L-R Bombardier, pilot.

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  • Unidentified GI and civilian pose in front of unidentified 'Droop Snoot' P-38J Lightning. Photo caption - 'A P-38J

    Unidentified GI and civilian pose in front of unidentified 'Droop Snoot' P-38J Lightning. Photo caption - 'A P-38J "droop snoot" in England transformed to accommodate a bombardier operator'.

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  • Nice close up of unidentified 'Droop Snoot' P-38J Lightning. Note the under wing bomb load of the port wing countered by the drop tank under the starboard wing.

    Nice close up of unidentified 'Droop Snoot' P-38J Lightning. Note the under wing bomb load of the port wing countered by the drop tank under the starboard wing.

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  • Langford Lodge AF 597, Base Air Depot #3. Sited on the shores of Lough Neagh in Northern Ireland. Run initialy by Lockheed Corporation for the 8th AF.

    Langford Lodge AF 597, Base Air Depot #3. Sited on the shores of Lough Neagh in Northern Ireland. Run initialy by Lockheed Corporation for the 8th AF.

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  • Lockheed P-38J Lightning 'Droop Snoot*' 44-23151 'Colorado Belle' 401st FS, 370th FG, 9AF USAAF. * The 'Droop Snoot' field conversion entailed the removal of the nose armament and associated equipment to make room for a prone bombardiers position with the installation of a plexiglass nose, a Norden bombsight, side windows and an emergency hatch. The theory was for a formation of P-38's to drop their bombs on the formation lead 'Droop snoots' signal with the precision of the Norden bombsight ensuring the accuracy of the formations bombing. An idea championed by Lt Col Cass Hough and Lt Col Dan Ostrander.

    Lockheed P-38J Lightning 'Droop Snoot*' 44-23151 'Colorado Belle' 401st FS, 370th FG, 9AF USAAF. * The 'Droop Snoot' field conversion entailed the removal of the nose armament and associated equipment to make room for a prone bombardiers position with the installation of a plexiglass nose, a Norden bombsight, side windows and an emergency hatch. The theory was for a formation of P-38's to drop their bombs on the formation lead 'Droop snoots' signal with the precision of the Norden bombsight ensuring the accuracy of the formations bombing. An idea championed by Lt Col Cass Hough and Lt Col Dan Ostrander.

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  • P38J-15-LO 44-23194 7F-Q Bomba Dear. 401st FS, 370th FG, Ninth Air Force. Seen at strip X-29, Asche, Belgium on March 25,1945. (pilot Lt William L Swisher).

    P38J-15-LO 44-23194 7F-Q Bomba Dear. 401st FS, 370th FG, Ninth Air Force. Seen at strip X-29, Asche, Belgium on March 25,1945. (pilot Lt William L Swisher).

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Planned to be a Satellite Landing Ground for No. 23 Maintenance Unit at RAF Aldergrove, Langford Lodge was selected in October 1941 to be developed as an air deport for the maintenance and repair of USAAF aircraft. A scheme was devised whereby the British Ministry of Aircraft Production would build the airfield and necessary facilities, while the American Lockheed Aircraft Corporation would staff the depot with civilian employees. Built during January-October 1942, and extended during the winter of 1943-44, the 3rd Base Air Depot had eventually two concrete runways, 26 pan hardstandings with 100 'fingers’ for aircraft storage, and nine T2, eight Robin and some 20 Butler hangars, plus a Lockheed-designed hangar. During 1942 the station was considered as a transport base for USAAF Air Support Command and for the Eighth Air Force but never used as such. Although transferred officially to the Eighth Air Force in December 1942, the Depot continued to be run by Lockheed until closed in August 1944. The station was occupied briefly by the 7th Air Depot Group of VIII Service Command during September 1943 to January 1944.

Detailed history

Not yet known

English Heritage's record description

Not yet known

Service

Units

People

  • Charles Hildreth

    Military | Private Second Class (7th Grade) | crew chief | 388th Bomb Group
    PFC Hildreth served with the fifth Airdrome squadron, Knettishall England 1943 to 1945.

  • Donald McFall

    Military | Private | 403rd Air Depot
    McFall was Dishonourably Discharged from the USAAF on 21 October 1943 and sentenced to 5 years hard labour for sleeping at his post at Langford Lodge on 6 October 1943.

  • Don Ostrander

    Military | Major General | Ordnance and Armament Officer
    General Ostrander was born in Stockbridge MI, attended local schools and studied engineering at Western State College, MI. He entered the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in June 1933 and graduated in 1937. ...

  • Harold Reichert

    Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
    Assigned to 322BS, 91BG, 8AF USAAF. 35 x combat missions. Ended Tour Duty (ETD). Assigned to BAD3. ...

  • George Richards

    Military | Captain | Pilot | 14th Fighter Group
    Captain George Edward Richards was the only child of Mr. and Mrs. George C. Richards of Forest Hills, New York. In May 1942, he was one of the first pilots in the newly formed 83rd Pursuit Squadron of the 78th Pursuit Group flying the Lockheed P-38...

  • Don Rohrabauch

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Pilot
    Crashed in P47#42-8585 while on ferry flight from Sydenham to Langford Lodge crashing near Lyle Hill.

Aircraft

  • 41-23832 'Maggie'

    B-24 Liberator
    Assigned to 67BS, 44BG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) was hit by flak in the target area , Wilhelmshaven, Germany 22-Mar-43. Losing altitude and falling behind the formation, it was attacked by fighers. Plane crashed into North Sea in the vicinity...

  • 41-24480 'The Bad Penny'

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Assigned 324BS/91BG [DF-B] Bangor 31/8/42; Bassingbourn 26/9/42; 322BS [LG-A] 5/43 16+m; taken off operations and transferred 403 AD 2/7/43; 8AF HQ Sqd 15/8/43 for VIP duties. Salvaged 19/10/44. Used as camera ship to film Major William Wilder's...

  • 41-9045 Stinky

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Assigned 414BS/97BG Polebrook 3/42; transferred 92BG Bovingdon 24/8/42; crash landed Agricultural College, Athenry, Ireland, near Galway Bay, 15/1/43 ex N/Africa after taking part in 1st Prov Grp of Gen Brereton in Eritrea (as No 8.). En route...

  • 42-107151 Cover Girl

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Tulsa 7/3/44; Kearney 22/3/44; Grenier 7/4/44; Assigned 614BS/401BG [IW-B] Deenethorpe 15/4/44; Returned to the USA Bradley 8/6/45; 4168 Base Unit, South Plains, Texas 12/6/45; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA)...

  • 44-23515

    P-38 Lightning
    P-38J field modified to 'Droop Snoot*' configuration and fitted out with equipment and aerials for Elint** work. Detached to 192 Sqn*** RAF for Elint** missions. ...

  • 43-28479

    P-38 Lightning
    P-38J field modified to 'Droop Snoot*' configuration and fitted out with equipment and aerials for Elint** work. Detached to 192 Sqn*** RAF for Elint** missions. ...

  • 42-68184

    P-38 Lightning
    Built as a P-38J by Lockheed, field modified to 'Droop Snoot*' configuration as the first full prototype of type. Trials A/C, later used operationaly as well. Led formations of 20th and 44th FG P-38's on bombing raid 10-4-44. ...

  • 42-52744 'Ding Dong Daddy From Dixie' 'Capricorn'

    B-24 Liberator
    Assigned to 834BS, 486BG, 8AF USAAF. Transferred in Jul-44 to 835BS. May have been transferred briefly to 493rd BG but definitely transferred to MTO 10 Mar 45 by BAD 3 and assigned to 98th BG. Salvaged 27 Apr 45.

  • 42-52762 'Scorpio'

    B-24 Liberator
    Assigned 834th BS, Transferred to 833rd BS (4N F). After storage at BAD 3, Langford Lodge, Northern Ireland, it was transferred to MTO 14 Feb 45 and assigned to 465th BG / 781st BS (T). Sadly, its service in 15th AF was very short indeed because it was...

  • 42-52532 'Virgo' 'Miss Mynookey'

    B-24 Liberator
    Assigned 834rd BS, 486th BG, 8th AF, One of the original aircraft flown to the UK - until the end of Jun 44. ...

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Number
597
Known as
Not yet known
Construction date
January 1942
USAAF from date
December 1942
USAAF to date
August 1944
Closure date
August 1945

Revisions

Date Contributor Update
05 January 2016 20:30:51 Al_Skiff Changes to usaaf from date, usaaf to date, construction date and closure date
Sources

AAM DB Entry.
http://langfordlodge.webs.com/
Date Contributor Update
27 September 2014 18:02:17 AAM AAM ingest
Sources

Barry Anderson, Army Air Forces Stations (Alabama, 1985) / David J. Smith, Action Stations 7: Military Airfields of Scotland, the North-east and Northern Ireland (Cambridge, 1989)

Roger Freeman, Mighty Eighth War Manual (London, 2001)

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